Comedian Pablo Francisco Visits Chicago

By: Celia Martinez

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Local NewsComedian Pablo Francisco has an uncanny ability to mimic sound effects and transform into a variety of nationalities and celebrities. “Everyone knows how to impersonate someone in their family,” said Francisco, “but I used to let my brother borrow money and then he wouldn’t pay me back so I started calling him saying [in Chris Rock’s voice] ‘Gimme my money! Gimme my money!’”

In his new hour long Comedy Central Special and DVD, “They Put it Out There,” Francisco points out the ludicrousness of those who put themselves out there. “You cant make fun of people who are doing good for the community,” Francisco said, ”but people who put themselves out there a lot, like the infomercial guys.”

Francisco’s comedy, although outrages and in your face, is universal as he points out the foibles in everyday life, society and the rich and famous. So offending the audience is not something he’s too concerned with. “I’m not really worried too much because they’re [audience] probably on the same page as I am, you know, if you got the Internet we’re on the same page.”

Perhaps his most famous sketch, taken from two separate events in his life, is the “Little Tortilla Boy.” Formatted as a movie trailer, Francisco transforms into Arnold Schwarzenegger, Don LaFontaine (the movie voice over guy) and all the sound effects in between.

“I worked at Dominos pizza and across the street was a girl named Maria and she had a husband who was this big gang member guy and when he would leave she would run across the street to us and start using our phones. [So we would ask]’what are you doing?’ and [she’d reply] ‘I’m calling my boyfriend.’ And she had this boyfriend that sounded like Arnold Schwarzenegger and he would always come out with these tortillas. And also I was a batboy for my brother’s baseball team so his friends would always go ‘hey it’s Pablo the batboy, he sells tortillas on the corner!’ So both kinda blended in.”

Although Francisco has performed in comedy clubs in the Chicago land area before, he said this is his first time visiting in the summer. “I’ve been there when it’s totally cold, freezing!” said Francisco on his previous visits to Chicago. “I’m stoked. The city is amazing.” Pablo Francisco will be performing at Up Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave from July 12th to the 15th. For more information call 312-662-4562 or visit http://upcomedyclub.com.

Comments are closed.